Dark as a Dungeon
Dark as a Dungeon is a song originally written by country music singer Merle Travis. It has been covered by the Mountain Goats during a few live shows. John Darnielle has said that his performances of the song are based on the arrangement by Souled American. Lyrics Come and listen you fellers, so young and so fine And seek not your fortune way down in the mine It will form as a habit and seep in your soul 'Til the stream of your blood is as black as the coal Well, it's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew Where the dangers are doubled and the pleasures are few Where the rain never falls and the sun doesn't shine It's as dark as a dungeon way down in the mine It's many a man I have known in my day Who lived but to labor his whole life away Like a fiend with his dope, or a drunkard his wine A man must have lust for the lure of the mine Well, it's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew Where the dangers are doubled and the pleasures are few Where the rain never falls and the sun doesn't shine It's as dark as a dungeon way down in the mine The morning, the evening, the middle of day They're the same to the miner who labors away And the one who's not careful will never survive One fall of the slate and you're buried alive Well, it's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew Where the dangers are doubled and the pleasures are few Where the rain never falls and the sun doesn't shine It's as dark as a dungeon way down in the mine I hope when I die and the ages will roll My body will blacken and turn into coal Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home And pity the miner that's digging my bones Well, it's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew Where the dangers are doubled and the pleasures are few Where the rain never falls and the sun doesn't shine It's as dark as a dungeon way down in the mine It's as dark as a dungeon way down in the mine Comments by John Darnielle About this Song Things Referenced in this Song Live Shows this Song Was Played at *2012-09-01 - Front Porch Session - Wente Vineyards - Livermore, CA *2012-09-01 - Front Porch Music Festival - Livermore, CA *2012-09-07 - Hopscotch Festival - Fletcher Opera Theater - Raleigh, NC *2012-10-18 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *2012-11-29 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA *2012-12-04 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX *2012-12-14 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2015-04-23 - Mr. Small's - Millvale, PA *2015-09-09 - Lawrence Arts Center - Lawrence, KS *2016-02-28 - Noise Pop 2016 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2016-04-08 - The Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI *2016-07-22 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL *2016-09-19 - The National - Richmond, VA *2016-12-05 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC *2016-12-16 - House Show for Scott - Cherry Hill, NJ *2017-09-08 - Bijou Theatre - Knoxville, TN *2017-10-17 - John Dee - Oslo, Norway *2017-12-14 - Holocene - Portland, OR *2019-05-17 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue *2019-09-05 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA Videos of this Song *2012-09-01 - Front Porch Session - Wente Vineyards - Livermore, CA *2012-12-14 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2015-04-23 - Mr. Small's - Millvale, PA *2016-07-22 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL Category:Unreleased songs Category:Covers Category:Video